Handled container



Dec. 3, 1-9

D. M clNTosH ETAL HANDLED CONTAINER- Filed May 21, 1962 United States Patent 3,112,856 HANDLED CONTAINER David MacIntosh, Florham Park, and Daniel A. Serico,

Hoboken, N.J., assignors to West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 21, 1962, Ser. No. 196,415 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates to containers and more specifically Ito paperboard carrying containers with offset integral handles.

The blank of our invention provides a foldable, slinglike container having a unique construction providing an offset reinforced handle that is constructed of two overlapping plies of material.

The blank of our invention provides a container where in the natural weight of the carried object is utilized in shaping the configuration of the container so that packaged goods or other articles contained therein are seized between the walls of the container in a friction grip, thus preventing the contents from spilling, and the container thus constructed may be easily collapsed for shipment and later erected for filling with packaged goods. The container is exceptionally suit-able for use with automatic packaging equipment. The handle is offset (from the top of the erected container providing an easy entrance for a grasping hand beneath the handle.

The current supermarket, discount store, or open shelf type of selling, places a premium on easy handling of goods by the customer. Our novel container provides a handle construction that is designed to carry heavy weight canned goods, such as antifreeze materials, and that can be readily grasped by the hand of a person. Many antifreeze compounds for automobile cooling systems are usually sold in gallon rectangular cans. Normal requirements for a winters protection for one auto are at least two cans. Being able to supply this quantity of antifreeze in one, handy, inexpensive carrying container is a great sales advantage for the merchant as well as a convenience to his customers.

Our container provides an inexpensive, strong and convenient way to package several cans with an offset carrying handle. The filled containers of this invention when package in corrugated boxes for shipment add basic strength to the corrugated container.

Briefly described, our invention consists of a container portion having panel members serving as a bottom and sides of the container portion, and each side panel having a pair of top: panels attached thereto and each top panel having a handle member between the pair. The top panels overlie one another in apposed relationship when the container is erected. The handle members also overlie one another but are ofiset from the top panels to form a reinforced handle, integral with the side walls or" the container. The cut lines in the top panel are extended across the foldable connection into the attached wall panel and may end in a configured aperture such as the letter J, or a circular aperture. This slit and aperture arrangement distributes the stress over the area of the wall panel, greatly reducing the tendency of the handle to tear from the wall under stress. The top structure provides an offset handle easily grasped by the hand which is capable of holding heavy weights without tearing or ripping.

The top flaps may be fastened -to each other by any suitable means such as glue or staples, to complete the assembly of the container.

When the container is raised into the carrying position, the unique construction of the container allows the side walls of the container structure to press inwardly against the packaged goods, serving to lock them into position within the container. The slits in the side panels allow the handle structure additional room to expand and.

raise above the level of the top panel forming a larger space for grasping by a hand and rfunther strengthening the gripping effect of the construction.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the blank from which the container may be constructed. FIG. 2 illustrates a container made from the blank of FIG. 1 and the manner in which it may be grasped by a hand. FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the assembled handle.

The blank of FIG. 1 comprises a bottom panel '10, a firs-t side panel 11 and a second side panel 12 flexibly attached to the bottom panel '10 at opposite ends thereof, along fold lines 30 and 31. Two first top panels 14 and 15 are attached to the first side panel 11 along a first pair of fold lines '16 and 17, two second top panel members 18 and 19 are tolda'bly attached to second side panel 12, along a second pair of fold lines 20- and 21.

A first handle element 22 is foldably attached to the first side Wall panel :11 and in position bet-ween the two top panels 14 and 15, along fold line 23. The fold line 23 is offset outwardly from the first pair of fold lines 16 and 17. The perpendicular distance from t'old line to the fold line 23 is greater than the perpendicular distance fromthe fold line 30 to the first pair of fold lines 16 and 17.

A second handle element 24 is foldalbly attached to the second side wall panel 12 along fold line 25, and is placed between the second pair of top panel members 18 and 19. The fold line 25 is offset outwardly from the second pair of fold lines 20 and 21. The perpendicular distance from fold line 31 to fold line 25 is greater than the perpendicular distance from =fold line 31 to the second pair of fold lines 20 and 21.

In assembling the container the second pair of top panels 18 and 19 and the second handle element 24 are folded over and on to the first top panel members 14 and 15 and in apposed relationship as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Second handle 24 is fastened to the first handle element 22 by glue or other suitable means. The handle elements 22 and 24 may be fastened in several difierent ways to erect the container from the blank. If desired, the first pair of top panels (14 and 15 and the first handle element 22 may be folded over the second pair of top panels 18 and 19 and handle element 24 to form the carton. It is also possible to inwardly fold panel 15 and panel 18 and then told panels 14 and 19 over them respectively to form the container with handle elements 22 and 24 secured to each other. The first and second handle element fold lines- 23 and 25 are offset from the first and second pairs of top panel fold lines 16, 17, 20 and 21 in an upwardly direction when the carton is assembled.

Thus, in the preferred embodiment, when the carrying carton is assembled, a pair of top panels 18 and 19' overlie another pair of top panels '14 and 15 in an apposed relationship, the handle members 22 and 24 overlie one another in a similar relationship. The handle members are offset upwardly from the top of the container as formed by the first and second pairs of top panels; this provides space for grasping the handle with the hand as shown in FIG. 2.

The overlying relationship of the handle members form a handle of at least a double layer of paper providing a reinforced handle for the container portion of the carrying carton, which is capable of holding heavy Weight goods such as canned materials, while resisting tearing and ripping tendencies at the junction of the handle and wall panels.

The slits 32, 33, 34 and 35 extend into side walls 11 and 12 respectively. It has been found that the slits pro- Patented Dec, 3, 1963 vide the greatest resistance to tearing when the direction of the cut lines 32, 33, 34 and 35 in the side walls 11 and 12 are respectively directed in a line substantially parallel to an imaginary line joining the points where slits 32 and 33 intersect fold lines 16 and 17 and the corresponding outer ends of score lines 30 and 31 and the edges of the blank.

A similar arrangement is preferred in the wall panel 12 for slits 34 and 35.

The end portions of the slits 32 and 33 in side wall 11 are curved away from each other and in a direction toward the fold lines 16 and 17 as are end portions of slits 34 and 35 in wall panel 12. Instead of this curved portion the slits may end in a circular aperture cut into the side wall.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim is:

1. A paperboard carrying container comprising:

(a) a bottom panel,

(12) first and second side panels of substantially equal height foldably attached to the bottom panel at opposite ends thereof,

(c) two first top panels of substantially equal length attached to the first side panel along a first pair of fold lines,

(d) a first handle element between the two first top panels, one end of the first handle element being attached to the first side panel along a fold line parallel to and offset upwardly from the first pair of fold lines, the first top panel having cut lines extending away from each other into the first side panel, and

(e) two second top panels of substantially equal length attached to the second side panel along a second pair of fold lines and,

(f) a second handle element between the two second top panels, one end of the second handle element being attached to the second side panel along a fold line, parallel and olTset upwardly from the second fold lines, the second top panel having cut lines extending away from each other into the second side panel,

(g). and said first and second top panels being secured together and said first and second handle elements being secured together to form the top of the container and a carrying handle for the container.

2. The container substantially as described in claim 1 wherein the end of a cut line extending into a side panel terminates in a circular aperture.

3. A paperboard carrying container comprising:

(a) a bottom panel,

(b) first and second side panels of substantially equal height foldably attached to the bottom panel at opposite end thereof,

(c) two first top panels of substantially equal length attached to the first side panel along a first pair of fold lines defining the top of the first side panel having top panel cut lines extending away from each other, into the first side panel,

(d) a first handle element between the two first top panels and equal in length thereto, one end of the first handle element being attached to the first side panel along a fold line parallel to and offset upwardly from the first pair of fold lines,

(e) two second top panels of substantially equal length attached to the second side panel along a second pair of fold lines defining the top of the second side panel, having second top panel cut lines extending away from each other into the second side panels,

(1) a second handle element between the two second top panels and equal in length thereto, one end of the second handle element being attached to the second side panel along a fold line parallel and offset upwardly from the second fold lines, said first and second top panels being secured together and said first and second handle elements being adhesively secured together to form the top of the container and a carrying handle of double thickness for the container.

4. The container substantially as described in claim 3 wherein the end of a cut line extending into a side panel terminates in a circular aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,941,568 McAleer Ian. 2, 1934 2,090,882 Zimmerman Aug. 24, 1937 2,785,847 Forrer Mar. 19, 1957 2,797,856 Jaeschke July 2, 1957 2,874,869 Hennessey Feb. 24, 1959 

1. A PAPERBOARD CARRYING CONTAINER COMPRISING: (A) A BOTTOM PANEL, (B) FIRST AND SECOND SIDE PANELS OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL HEIGHT FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM PANEL AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, (C) TWO FIRST TOP PANELS OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL LENGTH ATTACHED TO THE FIRST SIDE PANEL ALONG A FIRST PAIR OF FOLD LINES, (D) A FIRST HANDLE ELEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO FIRST TOP PANELS, ONE END OF THE FIRST HANDLE ELEMENT BEING ATTACHED TO THE FIRST SIDE PANEL ALONG A FOLD LINE PARALLEL TO AND OFFSET UPWARDLY FROM THE FIRST PAIR OF FOLD LINES, THE FIRST TOP PANEL HAVING CUT LINES EXTENDING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER INTO THE FIRST SIDE PANEL, AND (E) TWO SECOND TOP PANELS OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL LENGTH ATTACHED TO THE SECOND SIDE PANEL ALONG A SECOND PAIR OF FOLD LINES AND, 